Is Double Dipping Really a Food Safety Hazard? (2024)

  1. Resource Library
  2. /
  3. Blog

With Christmas parties just around the corner, how concerned should you be if you see your work colleague double dipping into the hummus?

Is Double Dipping Really a Food Safety Hazard? (4)

December 6, 2016

Christmas is just around the corner which means it’s time to start thinking seriously again about food safety and how you can go about keeping yourself healthy throughout the season.

With a heatwave forecast for Australia throughout much of this December,it’s of the utmost importance that food be stored, transported, and handled appropriately.

Being in a variety of social situations such as work Christmas parties can expose us to health risks. Take for example the usualparty foods served at most holiday get-togethers such as chips and dips. We’ve all heard that double-dipping is a food safety hazardand something to be avoided… but is it really that bad? Studies conducted inthe US help us to understand just how much of an issue (or not) double dipping can be.

Food scientists at Clemson University examined the effects of double-dipping using volunteers and a variety of different dips. It was determined that roughly 10,000 bacteria made it from the mouths of the volunteers back into the communal dip bowl when people double-dipped between three and six times. Whether or not you actually getsick from this will depend on how many bacteria are present and what kind they are.

However, choosing which dips to eat can have an effect on whether or not you get sick. Experts believe that thicker dips are more likely to be safe bets, as it’s harder for bacteria to spread and multiply. Options like hummus, cheese dip, and chocolate are probably going to be the safest for this reason.Avoid runny dips like salsa, as they provide an environment more conducive to the spread of bacteria.

Dips that arehigh in salt or very acidic also make it difficult for bacteria to grow and so they're usually good options too.

If you’re the one serving the dips, there are a few things that you can do to reduce the risk of your guests getting sick:

  • Offersmallerchips that reduce the likelihood of double-dipping andthe resulting spread of pathogens
  • Keep your dips refrigerated until just before they're served to guests
  • Throw out any dips that have been out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours
  • Put a spoon or knife next to each dip - you'll be surprised how many people use these utensils rather than dipping
  • Choose thicker dips, or those with a high salt or acidity content
Is Double Dipping Really a Food Safety Hazard? (2024)

FAQs

Is Double Dipping Really a Food Safety Hazard? ›

There is no definitive science to prove that double-dipping is unsafe or harmless,” says Singh, the infectious disease doctor. “But the magnitude [of risk] is not enough to be a public health concern.” Contextually speaking, the numbers of bacteria that end up in a communal dip are low.

Why double dipping is considered to be a health hazard? ›

The Clemson study found that double dipping three to six times would transfer about 10,000 bacteria from the eater's mouth to the remaining dip. This translates to about 50-100 bacteria from one mouth to another, in every bite.

What is the problem with double dipping? ›

The lower viscosity means that more of the dip touching the bitten cracker falls back into the dipping bowl rather than sticking to the cracker. And as it drops back into the communal container, it brings with it bacteria from the mouth of the double-dipper.

Is it safe to double dip experts finally put an end to the age old debate? ›

For instance, a study conducted by Clemson University found that double dipping can transfer up to 10,000 bacteria from the mouth to the dip. This poses a significant risk, especially in social gatherings where multiple individuals might be sharing the same dip.

What is the double dip theory? ›

A “double-dip” structure is considered a way to allow some creditors to have multiple claims against key obligors arising out of the same underlying transactions. These additional claims could improve their position relative to other creditors in a bankruptcy or liquidation.

Why do people hate double dipping? ›

No one really likes when anyone double dips because it spreads germs. Think about it: you lick and chew off half of a piece of food, then go right back into the sauce and put your saliva and mouth germs into the rest of the sauce…

Is double dipping bad etiquette? ›

In many Western cultures, double-dipping is often frowned upon and seen as a breach of hygiene. The act of dipping a chip, vegetable, or bread into a communal dip, taking a bite, and then re-dipping the same item into the shared dip is considered unsanitary.

What is double dipping in statistics? ›

Double dipping is a term for overfitting a model through both building and evaluating the model on the same data-set, yielding inappropriately high statistical significance and circular logic.

What happens to food when you double dip? ›

Scientists from Clemson University in South Carolina have discovered that double dipping, the practice of dipping a single tortilla chip into the guacamole more than once, is a good way to transfer bacteria from one person to another.

Do chefs double dip? ›

All professional cooks sample once and put the spoon away for washing. I have seen some of them even use disposable plastic spoons. I wouldn't put it past Guy Fieri to do it either, but I never watch the Fieri Network.

How gross is double dipping? ›

After a double-dip, the bacteria increased in number up to five-fold, demonstrating that germs from our mouths use crackers as a highway to the dips. Whether those germs are going to prove harmful is harder to assess. All mouths contain some bacteria, which may not be an issue.

Can you double dip a spoon in peanut butter? ›

The risk of cross-contamination through double-dipping can be particularly high when it comes to peanuts. Even trace amounts of peanut residue can trigger a severe allergic reaction in sensitive individuals.

How do you use double dip in a sentence? ›

I dislike buffets and I would never double-dip. He accused me of spreading germs when I double-dipped my cracker. We were able to double-dip our skewers in the peanut sauce, which came in individual bowls. He is fastidious about hygiene and hates it when people double-dip.

Does double dipping cause bacteria? ›

The researchers carefully analyzed bacterial contamination before and after a person double dips. Here's what they found: Bacterial counts in the dip increased significantly after a person took a bite from a chip and then dipped again.

What does double dipping mean in food? ›

Double Dip (confectionery), flavored powders with an edible stick to dip into them. Originally it means taking twice the portion of everyone else from a common food source; as dipping the ladle in twice into soup, stew, porridge etc. when others are doled out one ladleful.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Pres. Carey Rath

Last Updated:

Views: 6387

Rating: 4 / 5 (61 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Pres. Carey Rath

Birthday: 1997-03-06

Address: 14955 Ledner Trail, East Rodrickfort, NE 85127-8369

Phone: +18682428114917

Job: National Technology Representative

Hobby: Sand art, Drama, Web surfing, Cycling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Leather crafting, Creative writing

Introduction: My name is Pres. Carey Rath, I am a faithful, funny, vast, joyous, lively, brave, glamorous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.